ADB under fire for ‘false solutions’ in energy policy review

By: Cristina Eloisa Baclig – Content Researcher Writer / @inquirerdotnetINQUIRER.net

Civil society leaders give Asian Development Bank a “zero” on climate action during a press briefing in Quezon City on November 20, 2025, calling on the bank to stop funding fossil fuels and commit fully to a just energy transition.

(Photo from GAIA Asia Pacific)

MANILA, Philippines — Civil society groups on Thursday slammed the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for what they called a “dangerous pivot” toward corporate interests and false climate solutions, as the bank reviews its 2025 energy policy and faces scrutiny over decades of support for incineration and fossil fuels.

In separate statements released on November 20, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific and the NGO Forum on ADB scored the multilateral lender for continued financing of polluting waste-to-energy (WtE) incineration and fossil gas infrastructure.

Both groups argue that the Bank’s draft policy fails to adequately protect climate-vulnerable communities, disregards human rights safeguards, and undermines global climate goals.

Billions in incineration financing since Paris Agreement
GAIA, a global alliance of over 1,000 grassroots groups and organizations in 90 countries, warned that ADB remains the region’s top backer of incineration-based waste management.

Since the Paris Agreement in 2015, GAIA noted that the Bank has financed 49 projects with incineration or co-incineration components amounting to USD 15.3 billion. Meanwhile, a separate analysis by the Climate Policy Initiative found that over 94 percent of climate finance intended for methane abatement in the waste sector continues to go to incineration.

“This reflects a troubling pattern,” GAIA said. “Money intended for climate action is being diverted to technologies that worsen pollution and drain public resources.”

GAIA’s Climate and Anti-Incineration Campaigner Brex Arevalo emphasized that incinerators—regardless of technology—continue to pollute and create hazardous byproducts.

“Incinerators remain polluters no matter the technology,” Arevalo said. “While incineration reduces waste volume, the remaining ash, wastewater, and emissions are hazardous and must still be disposed of in landfills. This exposes the myth that incineration eliminates the need for dumpsites. It does not. It creates even more toxic byproducts.”

Communities in debt, distress, and danger
GAIA and its regional partners stated that ADB-backed incineration projects are exacerbating economic and environmental risks for vulnerable countries.

In the Maldives, Zero Waste Maldives’ Afrah Ismail warned that the Bank is pushing a massive WtE incinerator in Thilafushi, despite the archipelago’s high debt burden and climate vulnerability.

“ADB has backed waste-to-energy incineration through loans and grants for a major WtE plant in the Maldives, a climate-vulnerable archipelago whose public debt now exceeds 120% of GDP and which international financial institutions classify as being at high risk of debt distress,” Ismail said.

Chythenyen Kulasekaran of the Centre for Financial Accountability cited India’s experience as further proof of failure.

“The ADB should not be funding waste-to-energy incineration, which has a massive track record of failure across South Asia. All 21 waste-to-energy plants in India are highly polluting and do not comply with the environmental policy standards, as reported by the government itself.”

‘Zero marks across the board’
In a separate assessment, the NGO Forum on ADB—a network of civil society groups monitoring the Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank—gave the ADB a failing grade on climate, human rights, and transparency.

Citing the 2025 Energy Policy Review and draft amendments, the Forum warned that the Bank continues to support the expansion of fossil fuels and extractive industries, while ignoring demands for genuine stakeholder consultation.

“The Bank’s process violated its own Access to Information Policy and commitments to stakeholder engagement,” the group said. “Key documents were disclosed late, consultations were brief and selective, and feedback was not meaningfully integrated.”

The draft policy retains fossil gas as a so-called “transition fuel,” allowing continued investment in gas pipelines and exploration, despite what the Forum calls “overwhelming scientific consensus” that no new oil or gas fields are compatible with limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

The Forum also raised concerns over the ADB’s Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM), which critics argue may prolong fossil fuel use rather than accelerate coal retirement. Loopholes in ADB’s coal ban remain, it added, and mining is now being rebranded as “green” through the Bank’s Critical Minerals for Clean Energy Technologies (CM2CET) initiative.

ADB is also reportedly considering lifting its nuclear energy financing ban.

“This is a reckless regression,” the Forum said. “Nuclear remains expensive, unsafe, and produces long-lived radioactive waste, while Small Modular Reactors are unproven and financially burdensome.”

Other so-called “false solutions” identified in the revised policy include coal co-firing, large hydropower, waste-to-energy, and geothermal projects sited in Indigenous territories—all of which, the Forum said, come with risks of displacement, repression, land conflicts, and gendered harm.

“Energy transitions that violate rights are neither just nor sustainable,” the coalition added. “ADB’s silence speaks louder than its rhetoric.”

Civil society demands
Over a hundred civil society organizations endorsed the Forum’s Climate Scorecard, which uses lived experience as its grading system: “gas pipelines through Indigenous lands—zero; opaque financial intermediary lending that hides coal exposure—zero; promotion of nuclear, extractives, and incinerators while claiming climate leadership—zero.”

“ADB’s score of zero is a mirror reflecting the Bank’s own choices,” the coalition said.

They are now calling on the ADB Board of Directors to reject the draft energy policy in its current form and implement urgent reforms. These include:

A fully transparent review process through 2026
Closure of all coal financing loopholes
A time-bound fossil gas phaseout
Rejection of nuclear energy and CM2CET extractive-driven initiatives
An end to all false solutions
Binding human rights and just transition standards
Full alignment with the 1.5°C climate goal and a complete fossil fuel phaseout by 2030
“ADB’s Energy Policy Review remains a failed test and a failing grade,” the Forum concluded. “The climate emergency demands leadership rooted in justice and science — not profit, not technofixes, and not exclusion. Communities across Asia refuse to accept another generation locked into fossil fuels.”

Read more here: ADB under fire for ‘false solutions’ in energy policy review

UN DESA VOICE Monthly Newsletter: Vol 29, No. 11 – November 2025

Keeping the promise of placing people at the centre of development
“Thirty years ago, the world gathered in Copenhagen and made a promise: to put people at the centre of development. This November, we meet again—this time in Doha—for the Second World Summit for Social Development. This Summit comes at a critical moment,” said UN DESA’s Under-Secretary-General, and Summit Secretary-General Li Junhua, pointing to widening inequalities, eroding trust and communities struggling with conflict and climate shocks.

From 4 to 6 November 2025, world leaders will gather in Qatar for the Second World Summit for Social Development. This journey began in Denmark, in 1995, where 117 countries agreed to the groundbreaking Copenhagen Declaration for Social Development and its Programme of Action.

Since then, the world has seen extraordinary economic and social progress. Over one billion people have escaped extreme poverty; access to healthcare, education and social protection has expanded; people are living longer and healthier lives; more women are able to join the workforce; and young girls can realize their hope for a future of opportunity and promise.

But challenges remain. Growing shocks from climate change impacts, conflicts, or disruptions from changing patterns of trade, production and technology are fueling uncertainty and anxiety. People are growing increasingly insecure, with many people engaged in precarious employment or not earning a living wage that meets their needs. Fueling this insecurity is a growing skepticism of the willingness of governments to put their people first.

People across generations – younger and older alike -are searching for answers to both growing and persistent social development challenges. This Summit will be an opportunity to deliver a response – one that that ensures dignity, provides opportunities, inspires hope and is rooted in action.

At the Doha Summit, Governments will adopt the Doha Political Declaration as the principal outcome. The declaration will reaffirm the centrality of eradicating poverty, promoting full employment and decent work for all, reducing inequality and enhancing social integration. The Declaration takes fully into account new and emerging issues that impact delivery of these objectives, such as digitalization and artificial intelligence, climate change and the global trend of eroding public trust in institutions, among other cross-cutting issues.

But the real success of the Summit will be measured by what happens after. By forging a new global consensus for accelerating social progress through multilateral cooperation, this Summit will ensure that people’s voices and engagement matter. Because in the end, development isn’t just about policies or politics — It’s about all of us.

“I invite you all to follow our efforts and join us in Doha, Qatar, from 4 to 6 November,” said Mr. Li. “Together, let us accelerate social development and make dignity and opportunity a reality for all.”

Learn more about the Summit: Second World Summit for Social Development
View the full programme here using our online platform TeamUp.
Follow Doha Solution and Studio sessions happening on the ground by browsing this site.
Be inspired by commitments made towards the Doha Solutions Platform for Social Development.
Follow efforts and deliberations live on UN Web TV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXr25vn6Z0M
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Expert Voices

What social progress means to people around the world

As preparations intensify for the Second World Summit for Social Development, to be held from 4 to 6 November 2025, the Accelerating Social Progress campaign invited people from all walks of life around the world to reflect on a single question: What does social progress mean to you? 

The responses reveal a powerful message: social progress is about people, equality, and hope. Many participants described it as “a world where no one is left behind,” emphasizing the need for access to decent work, quality education, health care, and social protection.

Respondents underscored solidarity and community resilience, highlighted justice, trust, and opportunities for youth, and pointed to equality for women and persons with disabilities as key dimensions of progress.

From young changemakers to older innovators, people shared what progress means in their daily lives, innovation, compassion, intergenerational solidarity, and human rights as the moral core of development. These are the true expert voices: individuals living the realities of change and inclusion in their communities.

Together, their insights reaffirm that social progress is not measured solely by economic growth but by the well-being and dignity of every person. The collective voices gathered through the campaign will help shape the discussions in Doha, guiding efforts to renew political will for the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action.

To capture even more perspectives, the online survey has now been extended until 7 November 2025.

Learn more and share your views here: https://social.desa.un.org/world-summit-2025/news/deadline-extended-what-does-social-progress-mean-to-you

Things You Need To Know

6 lessons from 80 years of UN progress toward sustainable development

Photo credit: UNHCR

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, one story stands out: the world’s journey—through challenges and breakthroughs—toward sustainable development for all. Advancing Together, a new UN DESA report, traces how the UN has helped transform global cooperation, uniting countries around shared goals for people and planet. Here are six key lessons from this journey:

1. From growth to sustainable development

The  early decades of the UN focused on post-war reconstruction and economic expansion. Over time, that vision broadened to include social inclusion and environmental stewardship. The journey from growth alone to sustainable development marks one of the most transformative shifts of the UN.

2. From silos to integration

For years, economic, social, and environmental goals were treated separately. Advancing Together shows how they converged—culminating in the 2030 Agenda, where prosperity, equality, and planetary health are recognized as inseparable. True progress means advancing all three together.

3. Collaboration makes change possible

Major global conferences—from Stockholm (1972) to Rio (1992) and Paris (2015)— demonstrate the power of cooperation. Multilateral action through the UN has driven breakthroughs, from defining human rights to advancing gender equality, highlighting that shared challenges require shared solutions.

4. Resilience is key to enduring progress

Rising geopolitical tensions, persistent financing gaps, the widening digital divide, and the spread of misinformation are testing global solidarity. Yet progress continues—from renewed climate commitments to landmark outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4)— proving that cooperation can endure even in turbulent times.

5. Foresight, adaptation, and innovation keep us future-ready

Anticipating change has long been a UN strength. UN DESA’s flagship reports help countries identifying risks early and be better prepared for future challenges. Investing in data, science, and digital innovation empowers institutions to adapt quickly and deliver results amid uncertainty.

6. Norms and inclusive multilateralism remain indispensable

Common frameworks—like the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and the Pact for the Future—translate shared values into collective action. In a divided world, inclusive multilateralism is still the most effective path to tackle challenges no country can face alone, from climate change and pandemic preparedness to digital transformation and inequality.

Read more about this journey in UN DESA’s latest report “Advancing Together. Eight decades of progress towards sustainable development for all” available here.

Photo credit: UN Photo

More from UN DESA

Read more here: https://desapublications.un.org/un-desa-voice/november-2025

 

On High Energy

Good morning, world! Renewables overtook coal as the globe’s biggest source of electricity in the first half of the year. One reason is that China added more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined. Today, my colleague Keith Bradsher explains how it’s done.

A slide show of solar panels, wind turbines and pylons in a misty mountain landscape.
                 On the Tibetan Plateau. The New York Times

High energy

Author Headshot By Keith Bradsher

I reported from Gonghe on the Tibetan Plateau.

This summer, I got a good look at China’s clean-energy future, more than 3,000 meters above sea level in Tibet.

Solar panels stretch to the horizon and cover an area seven times the size of Manhattan. (They soak up sunlight that is much brighter than at sea level because the air is so thin.) Wind turbines dot nearby ridgelines, capturing night breezes. Hydropower dams sit where rivers spill down long chasms at the edges of the plateau. And high-voltage power lines carry this electricity to businesses and homes more than 1,500 kilometers away.

The intention is to harness the region’s bright sunshine, cold temperatures and sky-touching altitude to power the plateau and beyond, including data centers used in China’s A.I. development.

While China still burns as much coal as the rest of the world combined, last month President Xi Jinping promised to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and expand renewable energy by sixfold in the coming years. A big part of that effort is in sparsely inhabited Qinghai, a province in western China in a region known among the Tibetans as Amdo. I came as part of a government-organized media tour of clean-energy sites in Qinghai, which usually bars foreign journalists to hide dissent by its large ethnic Tibetan population. (The Times paid for my travel.) Today, I’ll tell you what I saw.

A huge effort

A map of the Talatan Solar Park in China.
Source: Satellite imagery by Planet, July 2025. By Mira Rojanasakul/The New York Times

China is not the first country to experiment with high-altitude clean energy. But other places — in Switzerland and Chile, for instance — are mountainous and steep. Qinghai, slightly bigger than France, is mostly flat. That’s perfect for solar panels and the roads needed to bring them in. And the cold air improves the panels’ efficiency. The ones in Qinghai could run every household in Chicago. And China is building more, including panels at 5,000 meters.

The main group of solar farms, known as the Talatan Solar Park, dwarfs every other cluster of solar farms in the world. It covers 420 square kilometers in Gonghe County, an alpine desert.

Electricity from solar and wind power in Qinghai (the birthplace of the current Dalai Lama, now in exile) costs about 40 percent less than coal-fired power. As a result, several electricity-intensive industries are moving to the region. One type of plant turns quartzite from mines into polysilicon to make solar panels. And Qinghai plans to quintuple the number of data centers in the province. At this altitude, they consume 40 percent less electricity than centers at sea level because they barely need air-conditioning. (Air warmed by the servers is piped away to heat other buildings.)

Where sheep roam

A map of China’s solar potential.
Source: Global Solar Atlas. By Mira Rojanasakul/The New York Times

As an incentive to build solar farms, many western Chinese provinces initially offered free land to companies. When the Talatan solar project installed its first panels in 2012, they were low to the ground. Ethnic Tibetan herders use the region’s sparse vegetation to graze their sheep, but the animals had trouble getting to the grass. Now, installers place the panels on higher mountings.

Dislocating people for power projects is politically sensitive all over the world. But high-altitude projects affect relatively few people. China pushed more than one million people out of their homes in west-central China a quarter-century ago and flooded a vast area for the reservoir of the Three Gorges Dam. This year, China has been installing enough solar panels every three weeks to match the power-generation capacity of that dam.

See more photos here.

Sheep passing a power line.
                 The New York Times

Li You contributed research from Gonghe County.

Read more here: High Energy by Keith Bradsher New York Times

Monthly Newsletter: Vol 29, No. 10 – October 2025

What the data tell us about equality between women and men

The newly released Gender Snapshot 2025 paints a nuanced picture of progress towards gender equality. On one hand, there have been historic gains: girls are more likely to complete school than ever before, and maternal mortality fell by nearly 40 per cent between 2000 and 2023. Women’s participation in climate negotiations has doubled. In the past five years alone, 99 positive legal reforms have been enacted to dismantle discrimination.

Yet significant setbacks persist. If current trends continue, 351 million women and girls could still be living in extreme poverty by 2030. In 2024, nearly 64 million more women than men faced moderate or severe food insecurity, with anaemia among women aged 19-45 years projected to rise from 31 per cent today to 33 per cent in 2030. Women spend on average 2.5 times as many hours on unpaid care and domestic work as men. Only 30 per cent of managerial roles globally are held by women – a pace of change so slow that parity remains nearly a century away.

At the same time, targeted investment can be transformational. Closing the gender digital divide alone could add $1.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030. Accelerated action and interventions focused on care, education, the green economy, labour markets and social protection could unlock an estimated $342 trillion in cumulative economic returns by 2050.

The report’s main message is clear: gender equality is more than a moral imperative; it is an economic and social necessity. The 2030 deadline to meet the Sustainable Development Goals is fast approaching, and the next five years will determine whether the world seizes this opportunity – or allows hard-won gains to slip away.

Read the complete report, published by UN DESA and UN Women, here: The Gender Snapshot 2025.

Expert Voices

Sharing benefits of transformation broadly, leaving no one behind

Neil Pierre

Preparations are ramping up for the Second World Summit for Social Development taking place in Doha in less than two months. Expected to gather leaders from around the world, the Summit will seek ways to accelerate social progress and continue efforts to put people at the center of sustainable development. We spoke with UN DESA’s Neil Pierre about this milestone event and what he hopes it will achieve.

It’s been 30 years since the landmark World Summit on Social Development was convened in Copenhagen, Denmark. Reflecting on the past three decades, what progress have we made and what more do we need to do as inequalities have risen?

“Since the 1995 World Summit on Social Development, the world has seen major progress in poverty reduction. The share of people living in extreme poverty fell from 33 per cent in 1995 to 8.5 per cent in 2024, and over one billion people have escaped poverty. However, progress has slowed sharply since 2019, with many at risk of sliding back.

Inequalities remain a serious challenge. 65 per cent of the world’s population lives in countries where income inequality has increased since the 1990s. Wealth is highly concentrated, with the richest 10 per cent holding 76 per cent of global wealth, while the poorest half owns only two per cent. Labour income shares have declined, and gaps in education and health outcomes persist. Children in the richest households are far more likely to avoid stunting and attend school compared to those in the poorest households, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Social protection remains uneven: nearly half of the world’s people lack coverage, and in low-income countries, fewer than 10 per cent have access. High-income countries are close to universal coverage, but developing nations lag far behind, leaving the most vulnerable exposed to poverty and climate shocks.

In short, poverty has declined, but progress is fragile. Inequalities, gaps in access to education and health, and weak social protection systems show how much remains to be done.”

What outcomes and commitments can we expect from the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha? How will this Summit move beyond the 1995 Copenhagen commitments to address today’s challenges of digital transformation, climate change and rising inequalities?

“The Second World Summit in Doha will deliver a Political Declaration reaffirming global commitments to social development. Member States recognize the urgency of tackling poverty, unemployment, and exclusion, while addressing structural causes and consequences in line with human rights.

The Declaration builds on the Copenhagen commitments by reaffirming the three pillars of social development: poverty eradication, decent work, and social integration. It emphasizes their interdependence and the need for enabling environments that allow them to be pursued together. It links social development directly with peace, security, and human rights, underscoring that one cannot exist without the others.

The Declaration also reaffirms the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, with a promise to “leave no one behind.” It acknowledges today’s realities, including climate change, digital transformation, and widening inequalities, and calls for holistic approaches to eradicate both extreme and multidimensional poverty. It highlights resilience, inclusion, and combating the feminization of poverty.

Finally, it commits to inclusive, sustainable economic growth, full employment, decent work for all, and cohesive societies grounded in solidarity, equality, and human dignity.”

How can we harness new tools—such as digital participation, community-led innovations, and inclusive governance platforms—to make multilateralism truly people-centered?

“The Summit will highlight how digital participation, innovation, and inclusive governance can help achieve people-centered multilateralism. Building on the Pact for the Future, it will stress the role of stakeholders in harnessing transformative technologies to advance social development.

Investment will be a key focus, including international cooperation and South-South collaboration, to support developing countries in poverty eradication and social inclusion. Discussions will call for equitable access to markets, investments, and technologies, while boosting productivity, diversification, and digital innovation.

Youth employment and skills development will be central. The Summit will promote policies that expand access to education, vocational training, lifelong learning, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and universal social protection. This also includes addressing informal work, ensuring fair wages, safe conditions, and full respect for workers’ rights.

A major priority will be closing digital divides within and between countries. The Summit will promote safe and affordable access to digital infrastructure, public goods, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. At the same time, it will stress responsible governance to prevent harm and risks.

By linking technology, governance, and social inclusion, the Summit aims to ensure that the benefits of transformation are shared broadly, leaving no one behind.”

For more information: Second World Summit for Social Development.

Things You Need To Know

Volume 29 | No.10 | October 2025

7 ways UN DESA boosts change through multilateral action

Image

 

With just five years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda, the world stands at a crossroads. The past year has brought unprecedented challenges—from converging crises, rising geopolitical tensions to persistent inequalities that have tested our collective resolve and threatened progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, this period has also sparked bold innovation, renewed partnerships, and fresh momentum for multilateral action.

UN DESA’s annual Highlights 2025 report captures seven transformative ways the Department has supported Member States and partners to drive SDG progress during the 79th session of the General Assembly.

1. Accelerating action for the SDGs

Amidst global uncertainty, UN DESA has served as the intergovernmental nexus of the UN development pillar. The Department supported Member States through pivotal moments, including the adoption of the Pact for the Future at the Summit of the Future, revitalizing global cooperation. UN DESA also supported the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), advancing SDG localization, science and technology innovation, and multistakeholder partnerships.

2. Reducing poverty and inequality

UN DESA has called for a bold new global policy consensus to leave no one behind. As reflected in the World Social Report 2025, the Department outlined pathways to universal social protection, decent work, and inclusive institutions. Its initiatives have empowered marginalized communities, advanced disability inclusion, and promoted economic models designed to leave no one behind.

3. Ensuring sustainable financing

Addressing the heart of the sustainable development crisis, UN DESA played a pivotal role in reshaping the global financing landscape. The historic Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla, Spain brought together world leaders to adopt the landmark Sevilla Commitment. Breakthrough achievements in international tax cooperation and tailored support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have opened new avenues for sustainable investment.

4. Making data count

Robust, high-quality data remains the foundation of effective policymaking. UN DESA’s critical role in setting global standards, launching the 2030 World Population and Housing Census Programme, and mainstreaming gender perspectives in official statistics has enabled countries to monitor and accelerate SDG progress with evidence-based solutions.

5. Strengthening national institutions and accountability

UN DESA has strengthened governance by supporting effective, accountable, and inclusive public institutions. This year, the Department convened global leaders and innovators at the 2025 United Nations Public Service Forum, launched a cutting-edge E-Government Toolkit to modernize public service delivery, and energized digital cooperation through the Internet Governance Forum, which broke participation records and sparked vibrant global dialogue.

6. Ending the war on nature

UN DESA’s integrated approach to the triple planetary crisis has mobilized transformative action. From the “Our ocean, our future” declaration at the UN Ocean Conference to $1.4 trillion in commitments under the Energy Compacts, and leadership in climate and forest conservation, the Department is advancing holistic solutions for people and planet.

7. Framing the future of development

Strategic foresight and anticipatory action are at the heart of UN DESA’s work to navigate global uncertainty. Through flagship reports, innovative AI-powered tools, macroeconomic modeling, and youth engagement, the Department is equipping Member States and the UN system to meet both present and future challenges.

Read more about these achievements in the UN DESA Annual Highlights Report available here.

More from UN DESA

Read more here: https://desapublications.un.org/un-desa-voice/october-2025

Renewable Energy A Step Towards The Right Direction

Photo c/o Constantino Foundation

In 1979, historian Renato Constantino already recognized the urgent need for a transition to renewable energy as a matter of both national security and ecological survival. In The Nationalist Alternative, he argued that the sun, wind, geothermal heat, and water movement could all be harnessed through safe and affordable methods, providing the country with sustainable energy independence. Constantino understood that reliance on imported fossil fuels left the nation vulnerable to global price shocks and deepened ecological risks. His foresight positioned renewable energy not merely as a technological option, but as a nationalist imperative—integral to safeguarding the people, the environment, and the country’s sovereignty. More than four decades later, his call remains strikingly relevant as the Philippines and the world confront the realities of climate change and energy insecurity.

Read more here:https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=811655287926745&set=a.222565690169044

 

The next global order has arrived — The megatrends of today and tomorrow

03 September 2025

Dr. Parag Khanna

More than twenty years ago, I began traveling across Central Asia, especially the former Soviet republics colloquially referred to as the “Stans”. In college, I was so obsessed with the ancient Silk Roads traversing this region that my nickname became “Paragistan”. One major section of my first book The Second World (2008) investigated the growing geopolitical role of a nascent coalition – the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) – which some mused was becoming “the NATO of the East”. This week, the SCO made a statement on the global stage, bringing together the leaders of more than a dozen member states spanning the corners of Asia. Indeed, it underscored the new strategic compass laid out in The Future is Asian (2019) in which I emphasized that Russia is as much “North Asia” as it is Eastern Europe. The next global order is not a distant apparition but it is already in place.

The same goes for how we think about the quality of states. As I pointed out this Spring in the “The Periodic Table of States” (featured in Foreign Policy magazine), neither bigger nor more democratic is necessarily better. Asian nations and smaller states get the recognition they deserve for their stateness and overall stability – a virtue in seemingly short supply in the West today.

Here again pretensions of ideological superiority won’t get anyone very far. Power and prestige emerge from harnessing the interlocking forces of geopolitics, geoeconomics and geotechnology for national advancement. As I argued in Hybrid Reality (2011), “the balance of innovation determines the balance of power.” The true contest of the 21st century is democratic versus authoritarian but simply old versus new.

Three fundamentally new drivers – the advance of AI, the demographic plateau, and rising climate volatility – must also be factored into our modeling of the complex global system today. As I argued in MOVE (2021), the winning societies of the future will be those that deploy technology for public benefit, attract skilled young workers, and invest in climate adaptation.

Look carefully around the world and measure these attributes before deciding where to move or invest.

This is precisely how AlphaGeo advises its growing roster of global clients. Our AI-powered geospatial analytics platform offers systematically curated, downscaled and proprietary engineered predictive analytics that enable investors to measure the resilience of their assets and identify the high-conviction growth markets of the future. Give it a try today with our free trial.

I look forward to your feedback on the above and interacting the coming months. Be sure to connect on LinkedIn and X for news, insights, and more.

 

All the best,

Parag

 

Read more here: https://www.paragkhanna.com/